(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to hair cutting devices or razors. More particularly, this invention relates to adjustable spacers for powered hair clippers to permit multiple shearing positions using a single cutting instrument. Specifically, this invention relates to an element, easily attachable/detachable to hair clippers, to serve as a spacing means to selectively locate the clippers relative to the subject's scalp for predetermining the length of cut hair. The spacer element is designed and constructed to enable one not trained in the cutting of hair to accurately cut hair in the comfort of one's home with minimal equipment.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
While the use of electric hair cutters and pneumatic removal of hair cuttings are well known, such devices have been adapted primarily for shaving and close cropping of hair and incapable of cutting, trimming, or styling of hair of substantial length (i.e., on the order of several inches).
U.S. Pat. Des. No(s). 175,141 and 185,170 disclose hair clipper comb plate attachments which permit variable spacing of the clippers from the subject's head. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 257,690 discloses a hair grooming attachment affixed onto the hair clipper. These designs, however, do not permit the degree of spacing variability as does the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,941,293 discloses a motor-driven, self-operated hair clipper with an adjustable length-of-cut guide. This hair clipper operates without a pneumatic aid to lift the hair from the scalp and is limited to cutting hair to relatively short lengths as compared to many modern hair styles. U.S. Pat. No. 3,138,870 describes a vacuum operated hair clipper wherein the air movement created by the vacuum operates a turbine connected to the cutting mechanism in addition to removing the cut hair. U.S. Pat. No. 3,272,209 teaches the combination of a hair cutter and a head mounted guide. The head mounted cutter guide is a cumbersome cage-like device, unnecessary to the herein claimed invention. Also, the patentees make no provision for lifting the hair from the scalp to assure regulated cutting length.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,370 discloses a tapering shoe comb adapted for use in detachable connection with a hair clipper. The detachable comb permits a plurality of positions of adjustment to accommodate a wide range of selected lengths of hair. In particular, a hand adjustment wheel on the outside of the shoe comb is graduated so that a hair stylist can adjust the position of the comb to a predetermined position. The detachable comb is limited, however, to uniform adjustment across its width and still requires a stylist's skill to achieve a proper tapering effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,900,949 discloses a power hair cutter with a hollow open-ended enclosure including hair movement means for drawing a subject's hair therein where a cutter severs the hair and the hair movement means simultaneously removes the hair cuttings. There is attached to the hollow enclosure movable spacer means for selectively locating the cutting apparatus relative to the subject's head for predetermining the length of cut hair. This spacer means includes a wheel, however, which invariably will become entangled in the subject's hair. Of course, this hair cutting apparatus is intended to replace standard hair clippers and not merely to adapt them to accurately cut longer hair, as does the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,562 discloses an attachment directly to a vacuum source (instead of a hair clipper) to cause hair to be drawn up through the body of the attachment and permit the hair to be cut at a selected length through graduated opening means along the length of the attachment using standard household scissors. U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,322 teaches motor-driven clippers which are connected to suction devices wherein the airflow is used to pull the hair to a convenient cutting position and to efficiently evacuate the clippings. To allow adjustable spacing between the line of cut and the scalp of the subject, the patentees disclose "[S] pacers of various lengths and configurations . . . , for attachment to the mouth of the clippers."
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,794 describes a hair clipper adapted to be connected to a vacuum source. Representative of the state of the art in such devices, the patentees provide "[I]ntake extensions of various lengths and shapes . . . , removably attached to the casing to vary the length of the uncut hair."
Therefore, in the absence of prior art means for using electric hair cutters and pneumatic removal of hair cuttings to cut, trim, or style hair of substantial length, an object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable spacer for powered hair clippers which are operated in conjunction with pneumatic means for removing hair cuttings. It is a further object of this invention to provide said adjustable spacer which is easily attached to and detached from the cutting head of the hair clippers. Another object of this invention is to provide a clipper-attachable spacer which will permit variable spacing along the width of the cutting head of the clippers such that one side edge of the cutting head will cut hair of a shorter length at the same time as the opposite side edge of the cutting head will be cutting hair of a longer length, or vice-versa, as required in tapering hair length along the side or back of the head. An overall object of this invention is to provide a method of hair cutting using the invention adjustable spacer to permit confident use in the home by an unskilled hair cutter.
Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.